In California Program Allowing Food Stamps At Restaurants, Fast Food Joints Rule

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August 4, 2011

Image removed.Nutrition: Nearly 94 percent of California restaurants participating in a food stamp program serve fast food, undercutting the program's goal of getting healthy food to the poor, Ricardo Lopez reports for the Los Angeles Times.

Worker Health and Safety: Hoping to save $47 million, the Obama administration wants to end or cut back two occupational health and safety programs that help workers in the most hazardous occupations: agriculture, logging and commercial fishing, Jim Morris reports for the Center for Public Integrity. Workers in these fields die at an "astonishing" pace compared to the average worker.

Medicare Readmissions: In a move to improve follow-up care and save money, Medicare will soon start cutting payments to hospitals that have their heart failure, heart attack and pneumonia patients return too soon after being discharged, Christina Jewett reports for California Watch. At least 10 California hospitals could risk losing millions in revenue.

HIV/AIDS: The number of new U.S. HIV infections has stalled at about 50,000 annually over the past 10 years, despite improved treatment and prevention efforts. The infection rate is rising rapidly among young black gay men, Donald G. McNeil Jr. reports for the New York Times.

Jerry's Kids: Veteran comedian Jerry Lewis, known for his 50-plus year affiliation with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, won't be hosting its annual telethon anymore. The association wouldn't give a reason for its abrupt move, David Freeman reports for CBS News.

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